Unforgivable
by Rozzy0
Summary: Rose never thought it was possible to want something too badly... Written for the "Choose Your Path Challenge" at HPFC.


_Wow, another new story... I must be stuck on "Across the Table". This one is the first of five for EvylinDevilin's Choose Your Path challenge: my challenge was to write about someone doing something they shouldn't have done, and getting away with it._

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**Unforgivable**

Scorpius Malfoy was the sort of man who just kept turning up in my life. We moved in different circles at Hogwarts, but he was in all of my NEWT classes, and when I left he was in my Healer training program too. We did our internship together, and when we finally became full-fledged Healers, we were assigned to the same ward.

He always arrived early for his shift, and I'd enter the ward to the sound of his absent-minded whistling. "Morning," I'd say.

"Morning Rose," he'd reply. "How was dinner with your parents?" Or "How's Hugo doing?"

He always knew what was going on in my life. He always paid attention to the little things that were important to me, like my weekly letter from my brother in France, or the extravagant Sunday lunches Nana Weasley would lay on for the whole family. He knew what everyone in my family was doing—a mammoth task that not even I could keep up with sometimes.

This was probably because I could, in the words of Granddad Weasley, talk the hind legs off a Hippogriff. Uncle Harry called it "the gift of the gab". No matter where I was, or what I was doing, I would talk about whatever was going through my mind. It meant that I'd got myself into a fair few scrapes over the years. It also meant that someone who worked with me every day, like Scorpius, knew every little detail about my life, whether he wanted to or not.

Somehow, in between our indifferent school years and becoming colleagues, Scorpius and I became… friends. I suppose we couldn't help it; a Healing internship involves countless late nights on the wards, where the only people to talk to are other interns. I found myself sitting with Scorpius in the lunchroom (a bit of a misnomer when you're there at two in the morning) night after night, talking about anything and everything through our fatigue. Though I did most of the talking, I slowly gained insights into him as well: his turbulent home life, his foul-tempered father, his fractured relationship with his gentle but oppressed mother. How he'd grown up within the dwindling pureblood power-base, but had come to see the errors of his parents' ideology. How he'd lost his father's favour forever by falling in love with a Muggle.

"How can he expect to stop you being in love?" I said. "It's absurd."

"His beliefs are too deeply ingrained," he said. "I think he feels that he lost too much in the war, fighting for the pureblood cause, to back down now." Despite his hatred for his father's thinking, Scorpius had an understanding and insight that astounded me.

"You know you probably have Muggle ancestors anyway. There's really no such thing as a pureblood." Granddad would have been proud of me.

"I know. I think he knows that too."

I stared down at my murky coffee. "Merlin. How did she react when you told her?"

"Who?"

"Your fiancé. Evie."

"When I told her about Father? She didn't care. She said we didn't need anyone's approval."

"No… when you told her about being a wizard."

He suddenly avoided my gaze. "I—I haven't actually told her that."

"_What_?" I shrieked, causing the few half-asleep Healers and interns in the lunchroom to jump. "You asked her to marry you and you didn't tell her you're a wizard?"

He looks suitably ashamed. "At first, it was almost an experiment… you know, to see if I could get away with pretending to be a Muggle. Then I wanted her to get to know me as a person, not some superhuman being with magic powers. I wanted her to fall in love with me because she wanted to. And now…"

"Now what?"

"Now it seems like it's too late to say anything. I'm afraid if I tell her, she'll run. She'll hate me for lying to her."

I gave a low whistle. "Good luck figuring that one out," I said.

ooo

Our graduation to fully-fledged Healers, with the privilege of reasonable hours, brought an end to these late-night conversations. We'd reverted back to our usual method of communication: he'd make encouraging noises, and I'd talk about whatever was on my mind. But though I no longer got to hear these snippets of his life, it was too late; I was in love with him.

It wasn't just my weakness for the unattainable, or the fact that I admired his view of the world, or that he was totally gorgeous (though it was all of these as well). I hungered for him both physically and emotionally; I ached for him in a way that I had never felt before. I had no doubt that he was the one I wanted to be with, for the rest of my life.

So he'd ask questions, I'd babble on, and I'd wonder why he was concealing the most fundamental part of himself from the woman he loved. Of course, there were legal issues involved—if she knew about the magical world, and they split up, he would be forced to cast a Memory Charm on her, especially if she freaked out. But despite the risks to both their relationship and our society, I couldn't help but think he was making the wrong decision. After all, if you were about to marry someone, you'd want to know everything about them—wouldn't you?

Lily agreed with me, to a point. "That's our opinion," she said over steak and kidney pie at the Leaky Cauldron. "It's up to him to decide. Hell, have you even met the girl?"

I shook my head. "I just think it's wrong, you know? The Statute of Secrecy is one thing; keeping something like that a secret from your life partner is quite another."

"It's none of our business. There's nothing you can do about it," she said firmly. "Now, are you going to eat that, or will I have to tell Nana Weasley that you need fattening up?"

ooo

"Morning," I said as I entered the ward the next morning.

"Morning Rose," said Scorpius. "How's Lily doing?"

"Oh, she's still trying to decide whether or not to try out for the Harpies like her mum…"

Being such an outrageous chatterbox, I've learned to talk without really thinking about it, leaving my mind free to dwell on more important things. Like how good Scorpius looked. How did he get his hair to lie just that way every morning? He even smelled good. I wanted to sink my teeth into him.

That was a _very_ inappropriate thought about someone who was about to get married.

"So, the wedding's getting rather close, isn't it?"

"Hmm?" He wasn't used to having to respond once I got going. "Yes, it's this Saturday."

I nodded. I knew this, even though I hadn't been invited.

"Who's going? Anyone I know?"

"No one's going, actually," he said. "Evie's parents are abroad, and mine obviously aren't coming, so we're just going to have it in the celebrant's office. A couple of Evie's friends are going to witness."

He said her name with a kind of reverence, and his eyes lit up when he spoke about her.

"It would be really nice to meet her," I said. "Do you think I could? She sounds amazing."

"She is, Rose. You'll like her."

I didn't realise until later that he hadn't answered my question.

The day passed by in its usual rush of patients and talk. I was just signing the ward chart on my way out when I noticed a Healer identification tag on the ground.

The tags were a new initiative, and one that many Healers weren't happy about; they found them a nuisance and a waste of time. They'd been brought in after several incidents of mentally altered patients finding their way onto other wards, thinking they were Healers. After one unfortunate wizard lost several fingers from a patient's enthusiastic "treatment", the hospital decided that access to the wards would be restricted to Healers with a tag, and any visitors they chose to admit. If you didn't have your tag, the door magically sealed itself against you.

I turned the tag over and Scorpius's face blinked up at me. "I'd better take you to Scorpius's place," I said. "He'll never get in tomorrow without you."

I found myself in a dingy corner of London when I recovered from the crushing blackness of Apparition. It took me a few seconds to remember which way to go; I'd only been to Scorpius's flat once or twice, when we were interns.

A woman's voice answered when I pressed the buzzer at his door. "Is Scorpius there?" I asked uncertainly.

"He's not home from work yet," said the woman. "Would you like to come up and wait? He should only be a few minutes."

Normally I would have left the tag and gone home, but I couldn't pass up the chance to meet the famous Evie. "I'd love to," I said, and the door buzzed open.

She was pretty in a general sort of way—thick dark hair, a cute button nose and huge brown eyes. "I'm Evie Taylor," she said.

"I'm Rose Weasley," I reciprocated. "I work with Scorpius." I wasn't sure what I was allowed to say.

"Oh, at the hospital," she said. "Scorpius has told me all about it."

"Has he?"

"Oh yes. You must be so brave, working with all those strange diseases. They sound awfully dangerous."

I was stunned at how much he'd lied to her. "Listen, Evie… there's something you need to know about Scorpius."

"What do you mean?"

I hesitated. "He—he's not like you. He's different."

"I don't understand." She was looking at me like I might be unstable. "What do you mean, he's not like me? Are you like him?"

She was sharp, I'll give her that. "Yes," I said. It was too late to back down. "I'm like him. We're magic."

Her voice rose. "Are you serious? You're telling me that my fiancée is some sort of… _witch_? That's insane!"

"He's a wizard," I said. "I'm a witch. Here, I'll show you." I pulled out my wand and conjured red sparks. Evie screamed.

It all happened quickly after that. The door burst open and half a dozen people piled in, drawn by the shouting and the scream. I whipped my wand back into my pocket but it was too late; one lady was already on her mobile phone, asking for the police and telling them about the crazy woman with "some sort of flare gun".

I was starting to feel it would be prudent to disappear, but I was hesitant to leave Evie in her fragile state. I was wondering whether I could get her out of there without being charged with kidnapping when the door opened again and Scorpius walked in.

"Scorpius!" cried Evie. She looked hysterical. "Is it true? Are you really… magic?"

"Be careful!" One of the neighbours was pointing at me. "She's got a weapon! I've called the police!"

"Rose?" He was looking at me, his eyes unreadable. "What have you done?"

Evie gasped. "It is true! I should have known this was too perfect. Perfect! Nothing is ever perfect!"

"Wait, Evie, I can explain…"

"Scorpius," I said with urgency. "The Muggle police are coming. We need to get out of here."

"It's too late for that," he said coldly. "Don't you see what you've done? The Obliviators will already be on their way. They've been keeping their eye on me for months."

My mouth opened in shock. They were going to modify Evie's memory. "I didn't know…"

He sighed. "Just go home, Rose."

And realising just how much damage I'd done, I did.

ooo

I was not surprised when Scorpius rang my doorbell a few hours later.

"I can't believe you," he said, stepping past me into my hallway. "I thought you were my friend!"

"I am!"

"I love her, Rose. I was going to marry her. And now she doesn't even remember my fucking name!"

I flinched. Scorpius never cursed.

"How bad was it?" I asked.

"Bad. They had to modify nine people's memories, including two policemen. Plus I have to move out of my flat."

"And they wouldn't leave Evie with you?"

"'The Ministry of Magic takes no chances.'"

I'd heard that line before. The Ministry had taken a hard line on everything since the war.

"I managed to convince them that my wand had accidentally ignited, so you don't have to worry about them coming after you," he said. He gave a hollow laugh. "I should have just let them have you. You're jealous, you've always been jealous of her! Why do you think I never introduced the two of you? Admit it, Rose; you just want her out of the way."

"That's not true!" I said, but I knew he was right. I _was _jealous. Did I really want her out of the way? Ashamed though it made me, I knew the answer was a resounding yes.

"She doesn't understand you," I pleaded. "She doesn't know who you really are."

"And you do?"

"Yes! You've told me all about your parents and the way you were brought up—"

He scoffed. "You know about my past. Evie knows me for who I am inside, as a human. You only know me for _what _I am."

I was in tears. "I'm sorry," I said. "You're right, I had no right to say anything. Let me try and make it right—"

"Don't you get it, Rose? It's too late. You can't make this right."

ooo

Needless to say, there was not a wedding that weekend. Evie Taylor had been relieved of her memories of Scorpius and me by a gruff Obliviator and sent on her way.

If I'd thought Scorpius might forgive me, given a little time to cool off, I was mistaken. One thing he'd retained from his Malfoy genes was his ability to hold a grudge, and what I'd done was definitely worthy of it.

The ward became a very awkward place to be. "Morning," I'd say when I walked in. I might as well have been talking to the wall. One day Scorpius didn't turn up at all, and I found out he'd transferred to a different ward. He pointedly didn't acknowledge me whenever I saw him in the hallway.

I'd never realised before then that it was possible to want something too badly, but it was true; my big mouth and I had ruined Scorpius's life, and any chance I had with him, in one fell swoop. I finally resigned myself to the fact that he would never return my feelings and I met Lily in a Muggle café to commiserate.

"What'll you have?" she asked.

"Is it too early for hard liquor?"

She checked her watch. "Is ten o'clock too early?"

"Better make it a latte."

We sat with our coffee in silence for a few moments.

"Are you all right?" she said at last.

"I suppose," I said. "I just wish there was something I could do. He must be so miserable."

She put her hand on mine. "He'll be okay," she said. "And so will you. There's someone out there for you, Rosie, I just know it."

I couldn't help but smile at the old nickname. "Thanks, Lils."

"Anytime," she said with a grin. "I'm really sorry, Rose, but I've got to run. I have training."

I waved her off and sat for a while longer with my last mouthful of coffee. I was about to leave when I realised the person sitting at the next table was Evie.

She had her long hair tied up in a ponytail and was surrounded by old dusty books. I moved closer to read the title of one: _Magical Mysteries: A History of Magic in Britain._

"Wow," I said. "Are you interested in magic?"

She looked up. "I'm writing a paper on magic in British history," she said. "You know, like Arthurian legends and witch burnings and things. I'm Evie, by the way." She stuck out her hand.

It was so bizarre to have her introduce herself to me again. "I'm Rose," I said, sitting down. "That's all so fascinating. What made you choose this topic?"

"I'm not quite sure," she said. "It just… occurred to me. It's strange though, there are stories about witches and magic right up until the end of the seventeenth century, but then they just stop."

That was when the Statute of Secrecy was signed. "Maybe the witches didn't just disappear," I said. "Maybe they went into hiding."

Evie seemed thrilled by the possibility. "You think there might be witches around right now, pretending to be normal?"

"I reckon there are," I said.

"But how do they stay a secret? Surely someone would have seen them."

I leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. "What if I told you that witches and wizards knew a spell that could make you forget what you saw?"

"Memory modification," she breathed. "Of course. But how do you know?"

"If I tell you, will you promise to keep it a secret?" She nodded fervently. I took out my wand. "I know, because I _am_ a witch."

Her eyes were shining with excitement. It was such a contrast to the last time we'd spoken… not that she remembered.

"Can you show me?"

I smiled. "Don't be frightened," I said, and looked around to make sure no one was watching. I pointed my wand at her pencil until it floated a few inches off the table.

"Incredible," she whispered. "Amazing."

"You don't seem very surprised," I said.

"I'm not," she said. "It's like I always knew about magic, and I just forgot. Does that sound crazy?"

"Not at all," I said, putting my wand away.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked. "Isn't there a rule that says you can't?"

"Yes," I admitted. "But you said so yourself; you knew about magic already. I'm just helping you remember."

"You mean… my memory was modified? But how could you know that?" I could almost see the gears turning in her head. "Did you already know who I was, Rose?"

"Yes."

Amazingly, she didn't seem frightened. "What did I used to know? Why did they modify my memory? Tell me everything!"

I shook my head. "I'm not the right person to tell you that," I said. "But there's someone you should meet."

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_That was fun. I've never written Rose/Scorpius before - in fact I've never written any Next Gen before. _

_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


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